Street-light post and the like.



G. SOHUMAGHER.

STREET LIGHT POST AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION IILBD SEPT. 27, 1911.

Patented June 11, 1912.

ammo/was UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GERARD SGHUMACHER, OF ANNISTON, ALABAMA.

STREET-LIGHT POST AND THE LIKE.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GERARD SOI-IUMACHER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Anniston, Calhoun county, Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Street-Light Posts and the Like; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to certain improvements in street light posts or poles, or the like; and the objects and nature of the invention will be readily understood by those skilled in the art in the light of the following explanation of the accompanying drawings illustrating what I now consider to be the preferred embodiment from among other formations and arrangements within the spirit and scope of my invention.

An object of the invention is to provide certain improvements in construction. and,

formation whereby the bases and adjacent sections of electric light posts, and the like, can be cast or otherwise formed separately .and can then be conveniently set up or coupled together, and locked against accidental separation, without the employment of bolts, and whereby the poles can be applied to bases of various formation to produce the completed poles of various designs.

The invention consists in certain novel features in construction and in combinations and arrangements as more fully and particularly set forth and pointed out hereinafter.

Referring to the accompanying drawings;-Figure 1, is a perspective view of a street light post constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2, is a vertical section through the meeting portions of the base and adjacent section, taken in the plane of the line 22, Fig. 3. Fig. 8, is a cross section, taken in the plane of the line 33, Fig. 2. Fig. 4:, is a vertical section taken in the plane of the line 44:, Fig. 3. Fig. 5, is a perspective view showing the upper portion of the base and the lower portion of the adjacent post section, separated.

Street light posts usually comprise a base and an intermediate, column or pole section rising therefrom. The base and pole section, heretofore, have" usually been cast in one piece, or else cast in separate pieces Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed September 27, 1911.

Patented June 11, 1912.

Serial No. 651,670.

and united by bolts. These old constructions are, in certain respects, objectionable.

It is the purpose of my invention to form the bases and sections to be fitted thereto, as

separate castings, or elements, and of such formation, that they'will be interchangeable, that is, so that any section can be fitted to any base of a series of different designs, whereby any section can be fitted and coupled to a base of any design, and whereby the section can be inserted in and coupled and rigidly locked to a base without the employment of additional fastening means, such as bolts or the like.

In the drawings, the hollow base 1, of any desired exterior design or formation, is formed with a top opening, to vertically receive the lower end of the post section 2, and this base is formed with a horizontal flat top edge, and with a horizontal flat annular inwardly-extending flange or ledge 10, surrounding said opening and forming a portion of said top edge of the base. At diametrically opposite points this flange is formed with a pair of similar segmental notches or recesses 11, opening vertically therethrough. The post section-receiving upper end or neck of the base is approximately internally cylindrical, and a suitable distance below the top flange 10, is formed with internal horizontally-disposed elongated or segmental lugs 12, preferably formed with flat horizontal longitudinal top edges, and with tapered or longitudinally inclined bottom edges 13. These lugs 12, are located, respectively, directly under and in the vertical planes of the notches 11, 'but are spaced vertically a distance therefrom. The lugs are preferably of greater length than the notches. The post section 2, is formed with a horizontal annular outwardly-projecting post-supporting head or flange 20 arranged a distance above the lower end of the section and adapted to rest on the top edge of the base and supportthe post when the parts are set up or assembled. The portion 21 of the post section depending below said supporting flange, ledge orvbead, is usually cylindrical to snugly fit within the top flange of and depend within the base.

Approximately at its lower extremity, the portion 21, of the post section is formed with a pair of exterior diametrically-opposite segmental or longitudinally-elongated horizontal lugs 22, of a size and formation to permit vertical passage thereof through the notches 11, in the flange 10, of the base, as the lower end of the post section 2, is inserted in the base. The bottom longitudinal edges of-the lugs 22, are preferably flat and horizontal, while the longitudinal top or upper edges 22, thereof are longitudinally tapered or inclined in a direction opposite to the taper of the lugs 12 of the base.

It is obvious, of course, that the base and post section are preferably cast or otherwise formed integral with their respective lugs and flanges.

In assembling the parts, the lower end of i the post section is inserted in the top opening of the base, with the lugs 22, passing down through the notches 11. The post section moves down vertically into the base until the flat horizontal bottom edges of the lugs 22, rest on the flat top edges of the lugs 12, and while in this position, the bead or ledge 20, is located a distance above the top edge of the base about equal to the vertical thickness of the lugs 12. The post section is then rotated or revolved in the base a suflicient distance to carry the lugs 22, beyond the base lugs 12, and permit the lugs 22 to pass down with the post section past said base lugs. The post section then drops in the base until the post-section ledge 20, rests on the top edge of the base, and the post section lugs are located beyond the ends of and approximately below the horizontal plane of the base lugs. The post section is then looked in and to the base, by rotating the same in a direction to carry the post section lugs under the base lugs and to bring the tapered upper edges of the post section lugs into tight wedging contact with the tapered lower edges of the base lugs. The post section is usually tightened into said locked position by being turned through the medium of a pipe wrench or other implement by which the desired rotating force can be applied to the pipe section to lock the same rigidly to and in the base. The post section bears against the inner vertical edge of the base flange 10, and against the inner vertical edges of the base lugs and is thereby braced against lateral thrusts or strains.

Material advantages are attained by so forming and arranging the parts as to necessitate the double turn of the post section in assembling the same with and locking the same to the base, as the danger of accidental separation of the post section from the base is thereby avoided and a most. strong durable and effective coupling is thereby attained.

Street light posts, particularly those of the ornamental type, are very heavy and also are of considerable length sometimes being fourteen feet more or less in height.

Heretofore, the operation of accurately setting up or installing such posts in a perpendicular position, has been tedious, expensive and unsatisfactory. In setting up or installing the posts embodying my present invention, the separate bases 1, are firstset up on or in the foundations provided. These bases can be readily installed in the desired perpendicular position, and the accurate p0 sitioning thereof can be readily determined by applying a spirit level to the transverse top column supporting surface of the flange or ledge 10. The columns or post sections 2, can then be fitted up complete at the shop or elsewhere with the lamps, brackets, or other parts carried thereby, and can be thus transported to the bases, and then raised to the vertical positions and easily dropped into the bases. The under surface of the ledge or flange 20, of each column is accurately transverse of or in a plane at right angles to the vertical axis of the column. and hence if the top surfaces of the base ledges 10, are horizontal, the posts are bound to assume the desired accurate vertical position when dropped into the bases and onto ledges 10. A material saving in cost ofinstalling is thus attained by the use of my invention, and furthermore, maximum accuracy is attained in installation, and in the complete installed post, all coupling means between the base and column are con-- cealed from view, giving the appearance of a single casting.

It is evident that various changes, variations and modifications might be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact disclosure hereof.

Desiring to protect my invention in the broadest manner legally possible, what I claim is 1. A hollow supporting section having a top opening surrounded by an inwardly extending flange having a vertical notch therethrough, said section provided with an internal fixed locking lug arranged a distance from and directly below said notch, in combination with an upper section having a supporting ledge and an exterior locking lug a distance below said ledge and adapted to pass through said notch and on partial rotation of said upper section to pass and drop below said internal lug and on further rotation of said upper section to look under said internal lug, substantially as described.

2. An open-end hollow section having an annular inwardly extending flange at said open end and formed with notches, said section having internal lugs spaced from and arranged directly below said notches, in combination with a post section having an end adapted to extend longitudinally into said hollow section and provided with a portion to rest on the top edge thereof and with exterior locking lugs adapted to pass through said notches and on partial rotation of said post section to pass said internal lugs and on further rotation of said post section to pass under said internal lugs and into locking engagement therewith.

3. A hollow pole base at its upper end having a neck formed with internal looking lugs, said neck having a top verticallynotched supporting ledge a distance above said lugs, in combination with a pole section having an exterior shoulder adapted to rest on said ledge to support said section, said section projecting below said shoulder and into'said neck and having exterior locking lugs engaged under said internal lugs of the base, the vertical width of said external lugs being less than the vertical distance be tween said ledge and said internal lugs.

41-. An open-top hollow base having a horizontal inwardly-extending flange around its top opening and formed with vertical notches, said base provided with segmental internal lugs directly below said notches in combination with a post section having an end to extend down into said base and a ledge to engage the top edge thereof and provided with external lugs adapted to pass down through said notches and under said internal lugs and into wedging locking contact with the under edges thereof.

5. A street light post or the like, comprising a hollow base having a top opening and a column leveling and supportlng ledge having a transverse top surface, said base internally provided with fixed column locking means arranged below said ledge, in combination with a separate column having a sup- Gopies of this patent may be obtained for porting ledge with a transverse under sur face adapted to rest on said horizontal top surface of said ledge of the base and thereby maintain the column in vertical position, said column having a portion depending from its said ledge and removably depending in said base and bracing the column against lateral stresses and provided with a portion to engage said means of the base and lock said column to the base perpendicular to and with said ledges in tight engagement.

6. A street light post, consisting essentially of a base, and a separate column, said base having an annular horizontal column supporting ledge, and said column having a corresponding horizontal annular ledge adapted to drop onto said ledge of the post and thereby support the column in a vertical position, said base and column removably and longitudinallytelescoping one within the other to brace the column against lateral stresses, said telescoping portions of the base and column having laterally projecting lugs rigid therewith, respectively, and adapted to pass each other on partial rotation of the column and passing into wedging engagement at their upper and lower edges on further rotary movement of the column to lock the column against vertical removal and to tightly clamp said supporting ledges together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

Enw. F. MIDUKIN,. J. B. KALVELAGE.

five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

